i figured that i would make a post where i can add pics of what i am working on. i have a few tikis in different stages of being worked on. so here is some stuff i have done or am working on. i will post more as i finish them or start new ones.

I used to torch the shit out of everything, but after spending some time with Benz & Will, and also getting some advice from Aloha Tom, I now realize that torching is essentially a cheap trick to create the appearance of depth and hide tool marks. it fools people who don't know the difference, but not people who know what they're looking at.

deep clean cuts eliminate the need for torching...

but hey bro, not knocking your work at all...you're on the path and doing great. just telling you what I was glad to have been told myself. Except for Benz, we're all students and have a lot to learn....myself included!

right on. thanks for the tip. this is the first of a matching pair for a buddy of mine. he helped me out in the past so i offered to do the pair for him for free to put in his back yard. he refused and said that because he knows that doing them takes some time and all he offered to pay me. i will be putting that money toward some much needed tools. i will keep in mind that i need to cut deeper. i have seen the work you guys do and i thank you for the tips.

i have a couple straight chisels. i will be buying some new tools at the beginning of the month. i am getting a set chisels, some saburr burs, 4 inch and 2 inch lancelot cutting wheels, a straight neck grinder and looking at a new die grinder for my air compressor. the tools i am working with now are just tools i had for other jobs. i got some really nice pieces of wood today and i am stoked. the last tiki i did is the first of a matching set my buddy asked for to put in his yard i have to go the match to it. the tiki after that i will make sure to cut much deeper. i am happy that you guys have taken the time to point me in the right direction. that is part of why i joined TC so i could get feed back and tips on how get better at carving. so thanks guys. you dont need to worry about hurting my feelings when you see something i should do better or fix please tell me. i can take it. lol

cool i will let you know how they work out for me. thanks. have you ever used the lancelot chainsaw cutting wheels? or the saburr tooth grinding wheels? i have been doing some looking at them and they look like a good way to remove a lot of wood in a fairly quick manner. i have some issues with my hands so the power tools make it a little easier for me when working on the rough shaping. by the way i have looked at your work and i really like your work. the Air Boss is awesome.

yeah ditto what Andy said about lancelots. Regardless of efficiency, by all means LEAVE THE DAMNED GUARD ON....

They're just waiting to take a finger, or grab your shirt and run up it like an angry badger to eat your face off. Most dangerous tool in the box in my opinon (including the chainsaw) due to it's limited control factor. I had one brush up against my knuckles once....cut the shit out of 'em, and they weren't clean cuts...my hand was f'd up for 2 weeks. And yeah speaking of which, any angle grinder is dangerous if you're wearing a loose shirt...it'll grab 'em. Learned that one the hard way too...scared the hell out of me.